


The Shape of Things

by Sparky (tapsters)



Series: The Hylian Empire [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M, Gen, Link is not nice, Other, The Hylian Empire AU, Triforce swapping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 02:20:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5726080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tapsters/pseuds/Sparky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hyrule is a golden land. The Hylians are a chosen people. Everyone else must submit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Shape of Things

In the middle of the night, they bring Link to her. He sags heavily, because really, the boy is much too short to support him. But then, Link has always been too tall. Too tall for his tunics and boots so they must be custom made. Always longer than his bed so that was custom too, the wood imported from Labrynna with his initials carved in gold. He would tower over them all, were he not slumped against the boy, weight pressing in against his shoulders. So he's not really brought in, so much as dragged, the boy's hand tucked under his leather belt for leverage.

Zelda thanks him and takes his place under Link's arm while she sends him off to boil water. She's not so small herself, but she's still shorter than Link is so she struggles a little, but gets him to the cot anyway and lays him there. 

His tunic is torn and blood-soaked, red staining the green an ugly shade of purple. Underneath the blood, she can see his wound. It slices in deep and the skin mottled, but is folded back almost neatly. But he won't die and for that Zelda is grateful.

She opens the tunic the rest of the way so she can get to work. Link groans and shifts under her attention and she shushes him. "You shouldn't move," she whispers while she threads a needle. The boy returns and Zelda sends him away again after she's gotten her hot water. She cleans the wound, while Link flinches under the warmth of the cloth she uses to mop up his blood. Soon the water is a muddy sort of red. Then he sleeps, his mop of golden curls sweat-slick against his cheeks and for a moment, Zelda remembers what peace is.

"The Goddesses protected you," she says, when he wakes up. He grimaces, but doesn't move, just like she asked him to. "You could have fared much worse."

He wants to laugh, but it hurts too much so he rolls his eyes instead. "I ought to count myself fortunate then, hm?"

She looks at his wound again. The swelling bulges against the stitches. He'll need herbs for it. "They fight so valiantly for their freedom."

"So did the Zoras."

"Still, does our right to rule seem so divine now?"

"Zelda, if you mean to stop me," he says tersely and she laughs because it hurts not to. Because if she does not, she remembers how precariously they sit on the edge.

"No. Only that you reconsider."

"Reconsider what?"

Everything. Or nothing. 

"Sleeping. I know you intend to lead the troops again in the morning. You'll need your rest."

So he does and in the morning, he is gone. But that's all right. Because so is she.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are loved.


End file.
